Up To The Mountain (MLK Song) - Kelly Clarkson Performance

Kelly Clarkson Performance

"Up to the Mountain" gained visibility through a live rendition by Kelly Clarkson, featuring intertwined electric guitar by Jeff Beck and a muted orchestra entering mid-way, on an April 25, 2007, charity episode of American Idol season 6 entitled Idol Gives Back, which was dedicated to poverty relief in Africa and in Hurricane Katrina-related areas. This event came in the middle of Clarkson's artistic struggle with her record company and management; they wanted her to promote her new single "Never Again", while she thought to do so at a charity event would be "beyond crass". Clarkson—an avowed Griffin fan—instead picked "Up to the Mountain". The audience gave the song and the performance a standing ovation; Beck subsequently said, " this fully developed soul voice that I wasn't expecting. It just knocked me out. It was quite riveting to listen to. At one point, the audience started to stand up. They were so moved by her." Idol judge Simon Cowell stated the performance was the best of the show.

A live recording of the Clarkson-Beck performance was made available for download on iTunes shortly after being broadcast on television and "Up To The Mountain" entered the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 56. This became the highest chart placement for a Griffin song. Clarkson added the song to the setlist for her 2007 My December Tour, and sang it together with Reba McEntire on the pair's 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour in 2008.

The song was also included on Scottish singer Susan Boyle's November 2009 debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, which became the biggest-selling album in the world for that year. She commented regarding her choice of the song: "Reassurance, love and the ability to keep going no matter what 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' life throws at you.... God is our Light."